The subject matter herein relates generally to electrical connectors and, more particularly, for electrical connectors that couple solar modules with one another.
Solar modules or panels convert incident light into electricity. Known solar modules receive light on one side of the module and convert the light into an electrical potential difference. The electrical potential difference is applied to module contacts positioned at or near an exterior surface of the solar module. An electrical connector is electrically coupled to the module contacts to receive the potential difference. Several electrical connectors mounted to multiple solar modules are joined with one another to combine the electrical potential differences of the solar modules. The potential differences of the solar modules may be combined as an electric current passing through the connectors and modules. The electric current may then be applied to an electric load that uses the current generated by the solar modules to perform one or more operations or actions.
Some known electrical connectors are mounted to the back sides of solar modules to electrically couple the connectors with the solar modules. The connectors may be referred to as solar junction boxes. The connectors may have a relatively large profile, or height. For example, some of the known connectors may extend from the back side of a solar module by a significant amount. With the increasing use of solar modules in tight locations and spaces, the clearance behind the back side of solar modules may be limited. Some known connectors have a profile height that is too large to permit mounting of the connectors to the solar modules in some relatively tight or small locations.
Additionally, some known connectors include cables that extend from the connectors to mate with connectors mounted to other solar modules. The cables of one connector mate with other connectors to electrically join multiple solar modules with one another. The cables, however, can interfere with the automated mounting of the connectors to the solar modules. For example, the dangling cables can interfere with automated pick-and-place systems that pick up and place the connectors to the back sides of solar modules in order to mount the connectors to the solar modules.
The housings or bodies of some known connectors do not include features or components that enable automated systems to position the connectors on the solar modules. For example, the bodies of some known connectors do not include placement features that permit an automated pick-and-place system in an assembly line environment to pick up a connector and mount the connector to the back side of a solar module. Moreover, the contacts of some connectors are not located to allow for automated soldering or welding of the contacts with the module contacts. For example, the contacts in the connectors may be hidden within the connector body. The hidden contacts may inhibit application of solder or a weld to the contacts without requiring an additional step of opening up the connector body.
A need exists to remedy the shortcomings of known solar module connectors in order to more easily permit the automated mounting of solar module connectors to the solar modules.